Saving the Heartthrob Frenemy-Chapter 448: The grumpy groom
As Luo Muchen delved into the depths of his thoughts something suddenly broke the tranquil atmosphere. There was constant flapping of wings coming from outside his window. Luo Muchen tried to ignore it but the flapping wouldn’t stop. His closed eyes tightened as he tilted his head slightly. He instinctively reached for the dagger hidden beneath his coffee table. With swift precision, he hurled it towards the source of the noise.
The dagger found its mark, embedding itself into the sturdy trunk of a nearby tree. The startled bird squeaked before swiftly changing course, fluttering into the study and gracefully landing on its designated perch. Luo Muchen’s eyes slowly opened, revealing a gaze that held a mix of calmness and intensity.
With a measured breath, he extended his hand, allowing the messenger bird to perch on his outstretched finger. His eyes caught sight of a tiny pouch attached to its leg. He carefully untied it, revealing a folded note nestled inside. His brows furrowed slightly as he read the contents of the message.
To his surprise, the note revealed that his soon-to-arrive arranged marriage bride had a boyfriend. A flicker of annoyance crossed his face, but he quickly regained his composure. The past mattered little to him; tonight, she would become his wife, and that was all that mattered.
He dipped his brush in ink and poised it above a fresh sheet of paper. His hand moved swiftly, effortlessly forming the characters that conveyed his response.
Finished with his reply, he carefully folded the paper and placed it back into the pouch. He tied it securely to the messenger bird’s leg, whispering a soft command before releasing the creature back into the sky. As he watched it disappear from view the dark gloom over his head intensified. His father had arranged this marriage as a way to consolidate his power as the next clan leader as he was born from an outside woman who wasn’t even his father’s concubine.
He was raised by his grandfather all these years as his mother had committed herself to the monastery and left him. When his grandfather died his father who hadn’t been in his life came to pick him up mainly because he was very talented.
His father when he was young was forced to marry a girl from the Zhang clan because the Lee clan was declining as a family. The Zhang clan helped revive the Lee clan but his wife had no respect for him neither did his daughter and the rest of her family. As a last ’fuck you’ to her family he wanted an heir that wasn’t under his grasp thus when he found out that his first love had his son he brought him home to contend against his daughter and children from his brothers for the role of future clan leader.
Growing up Lee Ya never took her training seriously because she was confident that she was the only rightful heir. Her cousins would easily concede to her because the Lee family owed their very existence to her mother’s family. This meant that when the talented Luo Muchen appeared in that arena she was beaten down so hard.
Beating Lee Ya was only half the battle. To consolidate his power he had to marry a girl from a very powerful family and thus he chose the Bi family. Luo Muchen was a very ambitious person and didn’t mind marrying Bi Yu thus this news was nothing to him. He would marry and annihilate her boyfriend if he had to. His reputation was well-known throughout the five clans. He was infamously known as a heartless beast of a man so he had no problem killing one man.
He sneered as he tapped the table in annoyance. Just then there was a soft knock at the door and he looked up his gaze cold. He got up to open the door.
There standing outside his study was his father. He was well aware that this man was using him to get back at his wife’s family but he couldn’t care less. After growing up dirt poor and being unable to save his grandfather this was a pie that had fallen from the sky and he was going to make his grandfather proud of him in the afterlife.
"My son... are you nervous," said Master Lee as Luo Muchen stepped aside letting him in. 𝘧𝘳𝘦ℯ𝓌𝘦𝒷𝘯𝑜𝑣𝘦𝓁.𝒸𝘰𝓂
Luo Muchen left the door wide open as he followed after his father.
"Not nervous," he said and the man nodded his head seeming pleased. Master Lee sat down while Luo Muchen poured out some tea for him. As the steaming liquid flowed into the porcelain cups Master Lee asked, "Why are you still so stubborn? You refuse to move into the main house and would rather stay here in this isolated courtyard and you don’t even want servants to serve you. You just have that one... you can’t keep being this stubborn."
Luo Muchen set the teapot down and said, "Father I don’t need people loyal to the Zhang family watching my every move."
"What about your new wife? Don’t you think she would want people to serve her?" he asked and Luo Muchen showed a slight smile before saying,
"Then for her, I will make the necessary arrangements."
The two men fell into silence as they took a sip of the warm brew. As Master Lee set the cup down he said, "You know the importance of tonight, right? The sooner you have an heir the better." From his sleeve, he took out a small drawstring pouch and placed it on the table. "This will ensure a very successful night... Feelings can be developed later," he said and Luo Muchen glanced at the small pouch. He hesitated for a moment but he still took it.
Satisfied Master Lee patted his shoulder before getting up to leave. Luo Muchen walked him out. As he watched him leave something undiscernable flickered in his eyes.
***
Qie Xieling finished taking a bath and as he emerged out of the water, steam was rising from his refreshed skin. He wrapped himself in a soft towel, feeling the water droplets cascade down his body. He reached for his inner garments and put them on. When he stepped out he found himself surrounded by the young women eager to put makeup on his face, touch up his hair and dress him up in a new wedding gown.
